The Way We Get By
by wantingchino
Summary: AU. The Kanes never existed, but somehow Veronica still finds herself outcasted. LoganVeronica.
1. 1

Title: The Way We Get By

Author: Kayla

Pairing/Characters: Logan/Veronica, mentions of Lynn

Word Count: 796

Rating: PG-13, if that.

Summary: AU, the Kane's never existed but somehow Veronica still finds herself outcasted.

Spoilers/Warnings: Season one to be safe.

A/N: I planned this to be a one shot, but if requested otherwise, I'll make a WIP out of it.

Logan was never one to look at things and smile and nod. He was the one in your face, telling you where you went wrong in life. Honestly, that's why you hate him. But let's live in reality, hate was never what you felt for him. You hate how you made you re-exam everything. How every aspect of life has to have an answer. Most of all, you hated the weakness he caused you.

To everyone else, you're raw. You're Veronica Mars and you're rough around the edges. To everyone else, you're like that because you couldn't handle wearing pink skirts and smiling all the time like you used to. But Logan, Logan knows the real reasons. You hate the fact that Logan's the one who knows all you fragile spots.

You think you'd live in another reality, no matter the circumstances, as long as Logan wasn't in it. But you know that's not true. It doesn't matter anyway, because he's in this one. And he still knows all your secrets, all of your badly flawed elements.

But you suppose that's your fault. You were the one who let him see past the hard exterior and into the jagged heart. Of course then you didn't have a hard exterior and your heart wasn't jagged. And you've already forgiven yourself for letting him in because that was two years ago. That was when you wore pink a lot and smiled more. You know now that betrayal is evident. So you traded in your pink skirts for shorter leather ones. You swapped your smiles for sarcastic grins.

Logan was different then too. Two years ago, you think maybe he loved you. But he's changed too because he sold his soul. At least you think he did. He used to tell you that you were the only thing inside of it. And now you're sure his soul's gone because he hates you and you pretend to hate him.

You still think back on your fight. Even though it was two years ago. It's still fresh in your mind. You tell yourself you only think about Logan because you find it humorous that you ever associated yourself with him. But that's not true either, because damn your eyes. They always tend to leak water after you think about him.

Sometimes you think about his mom. The way her hair used to shine and how every time you went over to his house, she hugged you. No matter how hard you try to forget (or so you tell yourself) you'll always remember how his mother promised you were Logan's bride-to-be. You used to believe her…now you're lucky to go a day without him letting the air out of your tires.

Two years ago, you know Logan was your best friend. The memory still visits you. The night your world fell apart. You had thought everything was great but it wasn't because Lynn was dead and someone killed her and Logan wouldn't talk to you. You tried stopping by his house, cornering him at school, nothing worked. He'd mumble a reply you didn't understand and stalk away. A week later, you had finally worked out your speech and you were going to make him listen. But when you got there, he was drunk and damaged and four different kinds of bitter. He told you he hated you, and he laughed a cruel laugh. And then he cried. You tried to hold him but he pushed you away, saying you smelled like _her_. You reminded him of _her_. And she was dead.

The next day at school…you weren't even welcome at your own lunch table. 'Whore' was written on your car, and your pink skirt had your lunch all over it (courtesy of Dick Casablancas, one of Logan's cronies). You went home that night with insults sticking to your skin. No amount of soap cleansed you.

It took you a few weeks to realize, but you finally figured out your fairytale life was over. So you did what all good outcasts do…whatever the hell you wanted. You gave up your long locks for something short. You exchanged you sweet hellos for sour goodbyes and you vowed to run multiple background checks before you ever let another person see you vulnerable. But that was all two years ago. Now, well now you're a slightly snarkier senior who still pretends to hate Logan Echolls.


	2. 2

Title: The Way We Get By (2?)

Author: Kayla

Character/Pairing: Veronica, The new girl, mentions of Logan/Veronica

Word Count: 1,200

Rating: R (for language)

Summary: The Kane's never existed by somehow Veronica still finds herself outcasted.

Warnings: Spoilers up to 1x22

Author's Note: Lilly is not a year older than Veronica, they are in the same grade and are the same age. Read and you'll find out why you need to know that, ha. Veronica's moms not mentioned because she…never existed? I guess, I don't know. I just don't really want her in the story.

There's a new girl at your school. Lilly Kane. You hear she's a billionaire or something from LA. Great, just what Neptune needs, another spoiled rich kid. You kind of hate her already. She has long blonde hair and laughs _all_ the time. She's definitely not innocent; you've seen how she acts around the guys in study hall. But you could care less. Last period, you heard some B-list actor murdered her brother. Despite that, she seems peppy. Too peppy. Didn't her brother just die? She should be mourning or something. But she's not because she just sat down at _your_ lunch table.

"Did I say you could sit here?" you ask, because yeah, you're pissed. This is your table and you don't need some rich girl, or anyone for that matter sitting with you.

She completely ignores your question, which pisses you off more, and begins talking.

"So, I hear you used to date Logan Echolls. God, how hot is he?" she asks with a smile. She always smiles. It makes you want to punch her.

"Totally," you say in your best valley girl voice. And then your face hardens. "Now can you leave?"

She laughs and looks at you with bright eyes. "You know you're like a total rocker chic Veronica Mars. I think we could like rule the world together."

You wonder how she knows your full name but you're not really surprised. You know people talk. A lot…about you. What they think you are. What they think you did. How you stalk Logan. And where the fuck do people get these things? You're just trying to get through senior year. Your thoughts are broken when you realize she's still talking.

"…and you know, he totally still wants you. I haven't really been here long, but damn 'Ronica, he so looks at you in study hall. I'll just be sitting there talking to Luke or something, and I'll look over at Logan. He'll be starring right at all. He does it like all the time."

You roll your eyes. The more she talks, the more you want her to leave.

"I really don't care."

You don't. At all. Whatever you had for Logan disappeared a long time ago. The day he threw you out of his house. The day he broke up with you. The day he told you reminded him of his mother. You didn't really understand at first, you and Lynn look nothing alike. But you figured it out later. Lynn _always_ hugged you. Lynn _always_ had dinner with you and Logan. And told you that Logan would make a wonderful husband. And Logan would smile and you would too because all of you thought it was true. But it's not anymore.

Lily bites her lip and looks at you. "Are you over him? Like really?"

He's a jackass and you're a bitch. Sounds like the ultimate OTP but it's not. You're over him. You tell yourself that everyday so it has to be true.

You look at her and laugh. She's definitely persistent. You don't need any friends but if you did, you'd probably hang out with Lilly Kane. Just because she actually talks to you…like you're human. Few people do that anymore.

"Yes, and can we please stop with the Echolls talk," you say. Talking brings back memories. Memories that scare the hell out of you. Because not matter how hard you try not to, they always make you smile…and that's scary.

"Good. So tomorrow, me and you, we're going out," she says like you have no choice whatsoever.

"Lilly, I'm not even sure I like you yet."

"Whatever Mars. Take off your hardass mark for like two seconds. Admit it, you wanna party with the infamous Lilly Kane and you know it. Pick you up at seven," she says.

"You don't know where I live," you protest.

She laughs and stands up and begins walking away. "I'll figure it out."

You and Lilly Kane partying? What has the world come to? You haven't really been out since Logan broke up with you. You and your dad hang out sometimes, but mostly you work.

Lilly picks you up at 7:13pm and hands you a fake ID.

"Troy and Luke are going to meet us there," she says as she pulls out of your apartment complex.

"Where and who?" you ask. This is not happening. Luke as in Luke Halls? 09er? Dammit. And who the hell is Troy?

"Troy is about to transfer to Neptune. He used to live by me in LA. Luke as in Luke Halls. Come on 'Ronica keep up." She rolls her eyes and grins. "Oh, and we're going to Club Thin. Every been there?"

"Once, on a case. Lilly, why didn't you tell me Troy and Luke were coming?"

"A case? Oh right, I heard that you help your dad with PI stuff in class."

She sighs and looks at you. "I didn't tell you about Luke and Troy because I figured you wouldn't go if I did. And you need to get out more. From what I hear—"

You cut her off. "What do you hear? About me?" Yeah, you're curious.

"Bullshit that's probably less than like half true. I hear rumors. Which are lame. Logan's mom dies so he blames you? Loser. You dad tries to find justice for her and gets fired from Sheriff. Logan's an asshat to you now. Supposedly though, you send him pictures of yourself naked and shit. That you fuck the basketball team on Fridays and the Football team on Tuesdays. What the fuck ever. I kept hearing all these things and I'm like, damn, I need to go talk to this girl."

You smile because you haven't for awhile. And it feels nice. And because somebody doesn't believe the rumors.

You think maybe this is a start of a beautiful friendship, but you don't believe in beautiful and friendship has always failed you.

"So what about you? What's your story?" you ask.

"Brother dies. Mother cries. Daddy lies. Basically, Duncan, my brother got mixed up with the wrong girl. Her psycho daddy killed him. Movie star and everything. We took the bastard down. After that, my mom, who is like ice queen bitch, tried to put me on pills. Umm, no. Dads off having affairs. So I moved to Neptune for a while. Just to get away from it all. The parents are still back in LA."

"Wow," you say, because that must suck.

She looks at you and smirks. " So new friend, ready for club thin?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," you say.


End file.
